Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 Prize Commission Goes on Display at the Queen's House

On 1 March 2023, this year’s winner of Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year was announced as Finn Campbell-Notman, a British artist who mostly works in oil and charcoals. He has exhibited works at Illustrative 07 Berlin-Paris and in Galerie Kilt in Brussels.

The 2023 Landscape Artist of the Year prize was a commission from Royal Museums Greenwich to create ‘a contemporary seascape inspired by the Van de Veldes’ to sit alongside the new exhibition, The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea. The prize commission and the exhibition will open on Thursday 2 March 2023.

The Van de Veldes were a father and son team who established the English school of marine painting. They moved to England in 1673 and were granted a studio at the Queen’s House by Charles II. Willem van de Velde the Elder pioneered the ‘pen painting’ technique, depicting extraordinary detail in the ships and naval battles he witnessed. Willem van de Velde the Younger used oils to paint scenes in colour, using a low horizon and dramatic skyscape that appealed to his new market in England.

Finn Campbell-Notman grew up on the Norfolk Broads and briefly lived on a boat called 'The Broadland Belle'. His stepfather was both a merchant seaman and a landscape painter. The commission, Fail We May, Sail We Must, draws on Campbell-Notman’s personal experience alongside his travels across Holland discovering more about the Van de Veldes.

Campbell-Notman was particularly inspired by the skyscapes employed by Van de Velde the Younger, depicting beams of sunlight cutting through passing storm clouds onto a relatively calm, still body of water, and beyond that to the open sea. He also uses a low horizon, allowing the viewer to look at the landscape through the eyes of the painter.

Finn Campbell-Notman said, ‘My approach to landscape painting is that a painting is rarely, if ever, a direct transcription from a single view, even those painted en plein air. One composes and constructs, simplifies, rearranges and perhaps adds certain elements to create a picture. The finished painting is thus a record of a dialogue with what is seen and what is reflected within and want I to transmit; between what is seen and what is felt.’

‘Taking part in Landscape Artist of the Year was both a fulfilling and fittingly itinerant existence.’

Landscape Artist of the Year was commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts and Entertainment for Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content for Sky UK and Ireland. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Benedetta Pinelli. The series is produced by Storyvault Films; Executive Producers are Danielle Graham, Samantha Richards and Stuart Prebble. All episodes of Landscape Artist of the Year are available on demand on Sky Arts and NOW.

Visitor Information:

Venue: The Queen’s House, Greenwich
Opening Date 2 March 2023
Visitor Enquiries: 020 8858 4422 | bookings@rmg.co.uk
Twitter: @RMGreenwich #LAOTY #VanDeVeldes
Instagram: @royalmuseumsgreenwich #LAOTY #VanDeVeldes
Facebook: /royalmuseumsgreenwich #LAOTY #VanDeVeldes

Notes to editors

  1. The 17th century Queen’s House, designed by Inigo Jones, was the first Classical building in England. It is known for its perfectly proportioned Great Hall, original marble floor and beautiful Tulip staircase. The Queen’s House has Scheduled Monument status as it is a building of unique architectural importance and forms an important part of the UNESCO Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Visitors to the Queen’s House can see highlights from the National Maritime Museum’s fine art collection, including the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I and exquisite examples of the work of the Van de Veldes.
     
  2. The Queen’s House is part of Royal Museums Greenwich, which also incorporates the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory Greenwich and Cutty Sark. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings, which form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, welcomes visitors from across the world and is also a major centre of education and research. The mission of Royal Museums Greenwich is to enrich people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space, and Britain's role in world history. For more information visit http://www.rmg.co.uk/
     
  3. Sky Arts exists to bring more art to more people across the UK. In 2020, with the creative industries under serious threat, we threw open our doors to make the channel free for everyone to watch. We’ve redoubled our mission to increase access to the arts and we’re committed to getting everyone involved as the industry moves from strength to strength. The fact is, we need the arts like never before, and Sky Arts brings them straight to your living room.  We have something for everyone, championing creative talent by showcasing the best in music, theatre, dance, literature, opera and visual art. From Glyndebourne to Grime and Nina Simone to Noel Gallagher, we’ve got your passions covered. Millions of viewers tune in to hit returning series such as Portrait Artist of the Year and British cultural institution The South Bank Show, but our acclaimed new programmes might take you anywhere from Wordsworth’s favourite landscapes to headbanging at Download Festival. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Sky Arts is the headline sponsor of National Theatre Live in the UK and we work with cultural partners across the country including the English National Opera, Bristol Old Vic, Tate, Creative UK and the Crafts Council to name but a few.  You can watch Sky Arts for free on Freeview channel 11 and Freesat channel 147.  If you’ve got Sky or a Now TV entertainment pass, you can also watch over 2,000 hours of shows exclusively on demand. 
     
  4. NOW is the home of brilliant entertainment. We’re one of the UK’s leading streaming platforms with critically acclaimed shows, new and exclusive movies, unmissable sport and epic kids TV – all with no contract. Join in with an Entertainment, Cinema, Sports, Kids or hayu Membership to stream instantly across TV, mobile, desktop and over 60 other devices. Watch on the go and even offline with our app by downloading shows and movies. Entertainment Members can enjoy critically acclaimed dramas, documentaries and comedies, Emmy award-winning shows, the best of HBO and exclusive Sky Originals. Cinema Members can discover over 1000 brilliant movies, from the latest blockbusters and classic favourites and a new premiere every day. Sports Members cheer on unmissable Premier League, international cricket, F1, golf and more – all live, across 11 Sky Sports channels. Plus, members can enhance their experience with NOW Boost – that’s full 1080p HD, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and streaming on up to 3 devices at once, for an extra £3 a month. For super-fast broadband, members can enjoy a contract-free connection with a NOW Brilliant Broadband, Fab Fibre or Super Fibre Membership.
     
  5. Storyvault Films is an independent TV production company making a wide range of high-quality factual and factual-entertainment programmes for all the major TV channels in the UK and for international distribution. Formed in 2009, the company brings together a group of award-winning producers and directors, alongside highly experienced production management and expertise in casting and live and pre-recorded programming. Current and recent credits include “Landscape Artist of the Year” and “Gary Numan: Resurrection” for Sky Arts, and ”Write Around the World, with Richard E Grant” for the BBC. Most of our productions are available for international distribution.

For further information please contact:
Victoria Mottram, Royal Museums Greenwich Press Office p
ress@rmg.co.uk | 020 8312 6789